Crimson Snow
by Cross D'Aubigne
Summary: CHAPTER FOUR WILL BE RE-WRITTEN (cuz it sucked and Lyn is helping me un-suck it).
1. The Death of Kurama

Crimson Snow  
  
Summary: .What can I say? I'm evil? Demented? A sadist? Yeah, that sums it up pretty well. Hatakana Kazuya (Kurama's stepfather) hates Kurama and shoves him off of a building. -^_^- How cheery. Does he die? Or do you even want to know? Remember: I'm EVIL!  
  
Dear Readers, One morning I woke up at SIX O NINE and was completely disgruntled. My sister had turned the hall light on and left it on when she left for school. The brilliant and blinding light streamed through the crack of my bedroom door and woke me up -It is IMPOSSIBLE for me to sleep when there is the tiniest light in my room. Since I couldn't sleep and was too lazy to turn the light off, I started daydreaming. That's when the idea for this fic came to mind.  
Hiten  
  
PS: If you hate the fic, blame my sister.  
  
Please R & R A.S.A.P. (once again, I do *NOT* mean Read and Retaliate Against Some Alien Publication. I mean READ AND REVIEW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!)  
  
Here we go! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
4:15:32 PM Christmas Eve  
  
Kurama stood on the roof of one of Tokyo's many skyscrapers, looking down at the snowy world below. Most of the citizens were busy buying Christmas presents for their spouse and kin. This was the only time of year when all was serene and loving.  
  
"Lovely," he commented as he saw a young couple stop to help an elder carry his groceries. "If only they were so benign all year long."  
  
He closed his eyes and felt a cold breeze lift his hair off of the back of his neck. He shivered and let his mind wander. Yusuke was holding a Christmas party that very day. Hiei would be there, for the first time in months since Mukuro had taken him as head of guard.  
  
Kurama smiled into the wind as a flurry of snow rushed to meet him. He opened his brilliant green eyes and peered at the sky. He smiled as his hair and dark black coat whipped about in the breeze.  
  
It was then that he felt him. Hatakana Kazuya opened the door to the roof and silently walked towards the red head. Kurama turned to face his stepfather. Kazuya stopped for a moment surprised that Shuichi had noticed him, then started forward.  
  
"Tou-san," Kurama said in greeting.  
  
Without a word, Hatakana Kazuya lunged forward, his hands extended, and forcefully shoved Kurama off of the brim of the building.  
  
"T-Tou-san!!" Kurama gasped as he fell backward, down into the snowy world below.  
  
The world seemed to slow for Kurama as dropped. His ruby hair and the snow blew wildly and rapidly about his face as he plummeted downwards. Kurama could vaguely see his father's form at the edge of the building, glaring down at him.  
  
A scream rose into the air as a young woman spotted him. Other screams were emitted, some he recognized as young girls in his school. One last scream rose, this one he matched as his own.  
  
Then, he heard a THUD, the horrifying sound of dead weight that had once been a daily song played as demon after demon had been felled by his hands. More screams arose, a faraway sound. He could now only hear the sound of his heart beating, slowly in his chest. His you-ki had sustained him, but it was failing. He would soon die, he realized with shock. He felt the crimson liquid spill all around him, dyeing the white snow a ruby color.  
  
"Crimson snow," he thought.  
  
Flashbacks of the days before played inside Kurama's mind.  
  
*Two days earlier*  
  
"Shuiichi," Hatakana called in a low, dangerous voice.  
  
"Hai, Tou-san?" Kurama asked and came into his room.  
  
SMACK!! (For lack of better word)  
  
Kurama reeled back in shock as his stepfather's hand connected with his face.  
  
"Get out," Kazuya ordered.  
  
Shocked, Kurama nodded and walked out.  
  
*The next day*  
  
Kurama lay sleeping on the couch, when a sudden pain in his head woke him. Kazuya was standing above him, a broken flower vase in his hand.  
  
Blood seeped into Kurama's hair and ran into his eyes from a gash on the back of his head.  
  
"Tou-san, what's gotten into you?" Kurama asked, his voice soft from the dizziness the wound had caused.  
  
"Clean yourself up," Kazuya replied. "Don't let Shiori see you."  
  
Kurama rose silently and shakily, and stumbled towards the bathroom.  
  
"Is he drunk?" he asked himself as he gingerly touched the spot on his head.  
  
*That morning*  
  
Kurama tensed slightly as Kazuya entered his bedroom.  
  
"Tou-san," Kurama started, "What has gotten into you there past couple of days?"  
  
"You," he answered.  
  
Kurama closed his book and stood. "I have done nothing to you, Tou-san."  
  
"She loves you more," Kazuya said quietly.  
  
"What?" Kurama asked, not sure if he had heard right.  
  
"Your mother loves you more," Kazuya said a little louder. "She is always talking about you, never anything else. Her beloved son, dearest Shuiichi, the only man in her life."  
  
"Tou-san-"  
  
"I am NOT YOU'RE FATHER!!" Kazuya exploded. "My son, is Shuiichi Hatakana, NOT Shuiichi Minamino." [1]  
  
Kurama stood in silence as Kazuya slapped him again and left the room.  
  
***  
  
"Who would've thought.that he would do something like this," Kurama thought as his breathing became more labored.  
  
As his senses began to diminish, Kurama saw two men bend over him and check his pulse. One of them shook his head and patted Kurama's head softly. Sirens wailed, a distant sound, and then were gone. The men turned into a blur of white then faded. All that was left was black.  
  
Darkness claimed him, and he knew no more.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Well...That was awfully cheery wasn't it?? I've decided to make this a series fic. In the next chapter, Yusuke, Hiei and the rest of the gang will find out what happened. Botan will then take Kurama to heaven. I'm not bringing him back to life, but there's no way that I would send him to hell. I'm not THAT mean. .Or am I? *Grin*  
  
[1] For those of you who don't know, Kurama's stepbrother is Shuiichi Hatakana.  
  
o_0 .....*twitch*.....*twitch*  
  
...Don't ask 'cuz I don't know. 


	2. Shuiichi's Discovery

SEVEN DAYS TILL MY BIRTHDAY!!! WHOOHOO!!  
  
Crimson Snow Part Two  
  
Summary: Chapter 2. Shuiichi (not Kurama, his stepbrother) discovers the truth behind his brother's death and tells his stepmother. Shiori doesn't like the fact that Hatakana murdered her son.How does she react? OOC!!! *VERY* OOC!! DARK!!! EE~~~~VII~~~LLLL!  
  
A NOTE TO THE REVIEWER "A": That's YOUR opinion, not mine. Gay people are not disgusting they're cute! I can understand if you don't agree, but don't you DARE insult my ideas. That's REALLY rude! If it means anything, your ideas are racist and discriminative! JUDGE NOT, LEST YOU BE JUDGED!! And if you want to bring God into this, let me tell you something; God said in the bible (I forgot the verse, so I'll have to get back to you on that) that even though he disapproved, one could chose to be gay. He said NOTHING about "abominations" or "gay people go to hell". He said ONLY that his disapproved. So LAY OFF YOU JERK!!  
  
Dear Readers,  
My idea for this chapter SUCKED! I called Lyn (the co-writer of Night Shaded Dream) to tell her about a choir/band parade we were in and she told me about her idea. HER IDEA ROCKED!! She dreamed this up, which is kinda scary, but it is SO much better than my plan. I changed her idea a little, but it still fits (I hope). My compliments to Lyn on the fic, AND GOOD JOB ON YOUR CHOIR SOLO!!! Everyone must now clap for Lyn. .Are you clapping? WHAT ARE YOU SITTING AROUND FOR?? CLAP FOR HER!! .Thank you. *Readers and Hiten applaud the almighty "Two Front Teeth" singing Lyn* YEA LYN!!  
  
Lady Hiten (who is still clapping for Lyn)  
  
.You know what?? .It's raining.hard. Just thought you might like to know. ^_^0 ...Okay then, moving along.  
  
My apologies, it's sort of fast-paced. Chapter Two: BEGIN!!  
  
***  
  
Shuiichi Hatakana walked down the street in downtown Tokyo.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Shuiichi!" some of his schoolmates called to him as he passed.  
  
"Merry Christmas," he called back.  
  
Shuiichi smiled as he passed a young couple helping an elderly man. 'What a nice deed,' he thought. 'Even if it is only because of the season.'  
  
He reached his destination when a movement caught his attention. He glanced at the top of the building above him to see a figure clad in black with long, red hair.  
  
"Nii-san?" he wondered aloud when he recognized the figure. "What's he doing up there?"  
  
He shrugged it off, and walked closer to his store when a sudden chill came over him. He hesitated by the entrance to the card store, and was about to enter when he saw his brother wobble on the edge, and fall.  
  
Shuiichi stood in shock. His body wouldn't move and his mind was blank. Then, when he heard his brother scream his own mouth opened and he screamed as well.  
  
"NIIII-SAAN!!!"  
  
With a sickening crack, his brother hit the snowy sidewalk.  
  
"ANI-UE!!!" Shuiichi shrieked. (AN: Ani-ue is a respectful term for "older brother".)  
  
He ran up to where his brother had landed and sobbed. Shuiichi.. His nii- san was starring blankly at the sky, his resplendent green eyes now dull. Blood seeped into the snow turning it crimson.  
  
Paramedics arrived and checked over him swiftly.  
  
"Is he going to be alright?" Shuiichi asked needlessly.  
  
One of the paramedics rose and patted him softly on his head. "Gomen nasai," he said softly. "He is sinking towards death."  
  
"Ani-ue," Shuiichi muttered softly. One of the paramedics asked him his and his brother's names and wrote them down. Shuiichi answered a few more questions and turned back to his brother. He looked down and gaped in shock as Kurama's eyes slid closed and his chest ceased moving.  
  
The other paramedic took Kurama's pulse, and shook his head. "He's gone."  
  
"ANI-UE!!" Shuiichi screamed.  
  
He flung himself over the dead boy and squeezed him. "Ani-ue, ikenai."  
  
More sirens wailed as police arrived to survey the scene. The crowd was asked questions, but out of sympathy, the police left Shuiichi alone. Eventually a paramedic pried Kurama out of Shuiichi's grasp and lifted him to his feet.  
  
"Be strong," an officer said softly. "We're going to give you a ride home."  
  
Shuiichi sobbed louder as they gently places Kurama inside a black bag, and zipped it up.  
  
"Come on," the officer said and pulled him along to his car.  
  
***  
  
Shuiichi opened the front door and walked in slowly, his face downcast, eyes filled with tears.  
  
"What's wrong, Shuiichi?" Shiori asked and ran up to him.  
  
"Okaa-san..." Shuiichi muttered. Then he broke down and squeezed her tightly.  
  
"Ma'am," the officer said and entered the house. "You are Shiori Minamino?"  
  
"What happened?!" She asked and patted her younger son's head.  
  
"You may want to sit down," he said quietly.  
  
Shuiichi cried silently and clung to his stepmother as they sat on the couch. Shiori waited expectantly, giving the officer a solemn look.  
  
"What happened?" she asked again.  
  
"Ma'am," the officer said and sighed. He shook his head and began again. "Ma'am your son Shuiichi -the older Shuiichi- was in an accident earlier today at around four."  
  
"Ikenai.Which hospital is he in?!" she asked fearfully.  
  
"Ma'am he's.he's not in a hospital. Your son passed away this afternoon," the cop said and hung his head.  
  
Shiori froze. "Passed.away?" she asked quietly -so quiet that she almost could not be heard.  
  
"He's gone. He fell off the roof of an edifice downtown." The officer rose and handed her a card. "His body is intact -miraculously. This has the number of the morgue he is in. Funeral arrangements need to be made and you can call the people there if you need help."  
  
"Gone," Shiori whispered.  
  
"I'm sorry," the officer said softly. 'I hate this part of the job,' he thought. 'And it's right before Christmas!' "I need to leave ma'am, but you can call the police station if you wish to find out more details on his death. We will call you if we find anything out of the ordinary."  
  
He rose and left quickly, eager to get home to his own family.  
  
Shiori and Shuiichi cried themselves to sleep on the couch. Neither of them was awake when (A/N: when THE EVIL BASTARD FROM HELL WHO'S A COMPLETE SHIZAKOFF-) Hatakana Kazuya came home.  
  
***  
  
Shuiichi sat in the living room, starring at all of the pictures in the house. They lived in Shiori's house, and pictures of Kurama were everywhere.  
  
Many of Kurama's school friends had stopped by to pay their respects. The infamous Yusuke Urameshi and Kazuma Kuwabara of Sarayasaki High had visited, both sobbing and praying for their best friend. One boy, who Shuiichi had never seen before, came over earliest and left last. He was short -the size of an elementary school kid- and was clad in all black save for a white bandana. He didn't cry, but the look on his face matched Shiori's: direful and dead.  
  
Shiori sat on the floor near the shrine, starring at nothing. He face had no emotion, but tears were streaming heavily down her face. Whenever someone spoke to her she remained mute. She didn't eat, and hadn't slept much that night. She awoke to nightmares of Kurama falling off of a cliff, or some other high ledge.  
  
Hatakana seemed to be coping best. He smiled at his wife and ushered words of comfort. He helped all of the mourners find a place to pray and helped them with their needs.  
  
'He's taking it awfully lightly,' Shuiichi mused.  
  
*** [In Reikai]  
  
"Is that what happened," Koenma said softly.  
  
"Can't we do something, Koenma-sama?" Botan asked, and sniffed.  
  
".I'm not sure, Botan," the demi-god answered. "I don't have the resources to bring him back to life."  
  
"Couldn't we give him a chance to say goodbye?" Botan asked.  
  
"Yes, but it will take a while," Koenma said. He smiled at the ghost in the back corner. "Can you wait a week?"  
  
The ghost -who had been grieving his loved one's sorrows- smiled softly back at him and nodded.  
  
***  
  
One week passed after Kurama's death. Shiori still hadn't said a single word. Shuiichi tried to cope as best he could but he still cried five times daily for his brother's passing.  
  
Hatakana was growing steadily worse with each day. He would become angry with Shuiichi and Shiori's sorrow, telling them to 'get over it' because 'there's nothing they could do'.  
  
Shuiichi was appalled by his father's actions, blaming them on denial and grief. But if he was upset, Shuiichi wondered, then why did he seem so happy when he had first died?  
  
*  
  
The next night, after the day's mourners had left, Hatakana pulled on his coat and headed towards the door.  
  
"Where are you going otou-san?" Shuiichi asked.  
  
"I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back later," he said and slammed the door closed.  
  
Shuiichi shrugged and went to his room to sleep.  
  
*  
  
(WARNING!! Drunk man talking like a redneck!!)  
  
At midnight, he woke to hear the door slamming open.  
  
"SHUIICHI!" his father called.  
  
With a bad feeling, Shuiichi rose from his bed and left for the lower level of the house. He peered down the stair and saw his father waiting for him. A silly grin was on his face, and he was wavering on his feet.  
  
He was drunk!  
  
"Shuiichi me boy," Hatakana slurred. "Come 'ere."  
  
Carefully Shuiichi walked down the stairs and stood before his father. Hatakana brought his hand up quickly and backhanded him so hard that he stumbled back.  
  
"What the hell.?" Shuiichi asked and rubbed his cheek.  
  
"I need a new punchin' bag since ol' Shuiichi is gone," his father said and grabbed him by the neck.  
  
Shuiichi's eyes widened at the comment. 'Punching bag?!'  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
Kurama walked into the kitchen one morning while Shiori was making breakfast for everyone. Shuiichi was reading the morning comics from the newspaper when he heard his stepmother cry out.  
  
"What happened Shuiichi-kun?!"  
  
Shuiichi looked up at his older brother to see what his mother was talking about. There was a dark purple bruise on the side of Kurama's face.  
  
"It's nothing mother," Kurama said and smiled. "I was reading while walking and walked into a door."  
  
Shiori accepted his answer but continued to fuss over the bruise.  
  
*END FLASHBACK*  
  
"You've been beating him!!" Shuiichi exclaimed.  
  
Hatakana kicked him in the gut and glared. "I's teaching him a lesson! He needed to know who's boss around here!"  
  
Shuiichi coughed as the wind was knocked out of him and glared. "He didn't do anything wrong..ever!" he whispered.  
  
"Shiori's always talkin' bout her son, 'perfect and precious Shuiichi'. She was always talkin' bout him. Never 'bout what we had, or us, no, no! Just him!" he said this with such malice that Shuiichi began to tremble. "Didn' spect him to see me, but he did. Turned around and spoke like he knew I's there all along. Then I went up to him, and looked at him. 'What did I do to ya, father?' he asks me. So I tells him 'she loves you more'. Confusion looks good on him. Never seen 'im confused before. Then I saw him surprised -never saw him like that either- when I pushed him down."  
  
Shuiichi froze.  
  
When I pushed him down.  
  
When I pushed him down.  
  
Suddenly, he couldn't feel anything. He couldn't feel Hatakana's hand when it connected to the back of his head, nor the ground as it came to greet him. He could only hear those words.  
  
When I pushed him down.  
  
***  
  
DEAR READERS,  
Would you like me to write a chapter about Hiei and the gang's reactions when they find out? I was going to originally before Lyn gave me this idea, but I said I was going to but I don't know if you want me to. Please send me an email or tell me in a review.  
Ja ne, minna!  
Hiten  
  
Hey people, guess what? I have a new policy;  
  
If I don't get at least three POSOTIVE reviews on a new chapter or story I'M NOT FINISHING IT!! It's fair. I don't care if it's one person reviewing three times or what but I want three reviews.  
  
Since I've been flamed so much for this fic, I don't want to tell you what happens. Hmph!  
  
That's right! I'm not gonna tell you what happenS in the next cHapter. It's a surprise. Or I could tell you and thusly Revolutionize the Industry of Kangaroo warfare. I do so prefer it if you wouLd Leave me a new review or Send me or HATAKANA an email.  
  
(If you haven't figured it out by now, there's a secret message in the above paragraph.) 


	3. The Tantei's Thoughts

Crimson Snow-Part Three  
  
Dear Readers,  
The last chapter sucked. I know this; you don't have to tell me. It was rushed, but I got my point across. I hope I do better on this chapter. I've received reviews asking me to write about Hiei and the gang's reactions. To you all I say, "Here it is!" I didn't write much on Yusuke and Kazuma's POV, and didn't write jack on the girl's POV's. Nonetheless, I hope you like it.  
  
MILD YAOI WARNING! Don't like it? GET OVER IT, or stop reading; it's your call. Don't think I'm lying either and flame me for it. For those of you who haven't gotten my point across, THERE_____IS_____**SHOUNEN AI **_____IN_____THIS_____FIC!!!  
  
Ja ne, Lady Hiten  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
[Yusuke's POV]  
  
I lay on the floor in my apartment, sobbing hysterically as I received news of one of my greatest friend's death. I choke on my tears and scream, both mentally and physically.  
  
Kurama was dead.  
  
I couldn't believe it. I can't believe it! How could Kurama have died? He fell off a building? That doesn't sound right. How could the famous Youko Kurama, wielder of the plant weapons more deadly than my spirit gun, the most beautiful creature in the three worlds, die by falling off of a ningen building? He wouldn't have fallen! He has the grace and balance of a cat! It was possible!  
  
It just didn't make sense!  
  
And on Christmas Eve! On the day of my party, when Hiei would finally be back in Ningenkai! Why did he have to die?! Oh gods, why did he have to die!?  
  
WHY DID HE HAVE TO DIE?!!?  
  
***  
  
[Kazuma's POV]  
  
Everyone is crying all around me.  
  
Why can't I?  
  
I'm in denial. I'm in shock. Nothing makes sense. Yukina is clinging to my arm. But why?  
  
Kurama will walk in this room, right through those doors and tell me this was all a hoax! He will.....right?  
  
A single tears slinks down my face, and ends my trauma. My shock is replaced by an enormous pain in my chest.  
  
Kurama's dead.  
  
Dead.  
  
Dead?  
  
How could he have died? Yusuke has been asking that question aloud for the past hour.  
  
How could he have died? I always thought that if he died, he could come back right away as Youko, but I guess I was wrong.  
  
I am still in denial though.  
  
I keep thinking that he will walk through those doors. ..Any minute now.  
  
***  
  
[Botan/Koenma's POV (I got lazy, so I just combined the two. EXAMPLE: he/she wants a sandwich. See? Both words fit in the sentence. He wants a sandwich. She wants a sandwich. Get it? If not, I hope you catch on.)]  
  
I knew.  
  
I knew one of my greatest friends would die today.  
  
I saw his papers. I made preparations for his soul. I/Botan ferried his soul to Koenma/me.  
  
He asked for a chance to see his loved ones once again before his journey to paradise.  
  
I/Koenma granted it.  
  
I/Botan was so happy when Koenma/I granted the wish.  
  
You should have seen Kurama's face light up.  
  
But now, I have made an oath.  
  
Never again, will I see another one of my friends die, and do nothing about it.  
  
***  
  
[The long awaited Hiei's point of view]  
  
I feel dead.  
  
Dead like him....  
  
No! He can't be!  
  
Denial.  
  
Am I in denial? Or am I correct?  
  
It seems as though he is not dead.  
  
I will not allow myself to accept that.  
  
The stupid oaf has a stunned look on his face.  
  
Why?  
  
Has he not accepted it either?  
  
But what's to accept....if he's alive?  
  
I think deep down, I have accepted it also. I just can't bear it right now!  
  
I've been working for Mukuro for such a long time without seeing any of my friends. Now when I have the chance, my love dies.  
  
Love? My love?  
  
Gods I admit it!  
  
I love him! Loved him.... No! I love him still!  
  
It is not wrong for me to love him.  
  
Demons commonly have homosexual relationships.  
  
But how can I love him if he's dead?!  
  
I want to kill something!  
  
I want to kill Koenma, Botan, Yusuke, Karasu, Kazuma, EVERYONE HE KNEW!!  
  
Most of all, I want to kill myself.  
  
What's the point of living, if he's not here?  
  
I'm alive only because of him.  
  
He has saved me more times than I can count.  
  
He has saved me from enemies, and myself.  
  
While I had been digging my grave in numerous places, all of these years, he had been filling the holes I had dug.  
  
Why then, after all he's done for me, was I not able to save him?  
  
I am scum.  
  
Worse than scum.  
  
How could he ever forgive me?  
  
I'm sure he could. He's always been able to forgive the most horrible things.  
  
Still, my sense of longing and guilt are consuming me.  
  
I went to his wake everyday that it was held.  
  
His mother and I have tried to console each other, as we are in the same boat, so to speak; our most precious person is gone. You are gone, my fox.  
  
I almost killed myself, one day at his wake, but then I felt it.  
  
The feel of his ki, and his sweet scent of roses.  
  
He's here!  
  
I looked around, only to find the usual group of mourning worshipers of his from school.  
  
His scent lingers, and I realize that he has yet to pass on.  
  
"Why do you linger here?" I asked aloud, though soft enough so that only he would hear.  
  
'I await my final goodbye,' he says back. 'I will appear in one week, to the minute.'  
  
I do not know how I heard him, but it gave me a comfort that nothing less of him coming back to life could do. I smiled for the first time since I found out.  
  
With a goodbye to Shiori, I went to Yusuke's to share the news.  
  
Now I wait anxiously for the day when he appears.  
  
Until then, I must see to the stranger who has knocked on the door.....  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Who is the stranger at the door? You'll have to wait to find out. ~_^ This chapter is to all of you who sent a review requesting it. TA DA! I can do work when I have to! 


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